Forward Solutions MD goes the distance for charity

The leader of prominent transport technology firm Forward Solutions is gearing up for his third full marathon, at the prestigious London Marathon in October. Richard Litchfield was originally planning to take part in the event in 2019 but suffered an injury which prevented him from participating. With the challenges of Covid-19, this is the first opportunity he’s had to complete his goal in three years.

Richard Litchfield, 46, got the running bug after meeting his fiance Nicola (now his wife) who is a keen runner. Having not tackled even a 5k jog before, he threw himself into training and quickly became a regular member of the parkrun events – which he has taken part in across the globe. He will now be taking on the London Marathon on 2nd October to raise money for The Lullaby Trust, a charity dedicated to raising awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as well as supporting bereaved families.

Richard said:

“I originally wanted to take on this challenge three years ago, but after my injury and then Covid-19 I’ve not been able to run, until now. I’m determined to complete this challenge, and although I know it will be tough, it’s something that I’m really looking forward to. I first heard about Lullaby Trust in 2019, and after listening to so many heart-breaking stories, I knew straight away which charity I had to run for.

Since then, I’ve managed to raise over GBP1,000 on my JustGiving page. Having built up my fitness with the regular park runs and recently completing a 20-mile challenge in Bedford as part of the Bedford Running Festival, I feel like I’m ready to take on London. My goal is to complete the full marathon in four and a half hours, so fingers crossed I do!”

Richard proposed to his wife Nicola at a Nottingham parkrun event in 2017, showing how important the running community has become in his life, and how it’s still a massive part of who he is.

He added:

“Running gives me a great buzz and it has massively improved my fitness.

I’ve lost weight, I feel full of energy, and I really enjoy the sense of community that comes from running in a group.

I’m looking forward to the marathon but also can’t wait to cross the finish line, it will be my third one to date so I know what to expect.”

The Forward Solutions team has given their full support to Richard, and no matter where they are, they’ll be cheering him along on the big day.